“He’s a reduction of Michael [Jordan], Shaq and Magic [Johnson],” O’Neal said, per Cleveland.com’s Joe Vardon. “Shaq, given he’s bigger and stronger than everybody. Michael given he can measure whenever he feels like it. And Magic given he does a good pursuit removing everybody else involved. He’s been like that his whole career. Even in high school. we knew he was a special man in high school.”

O’Neal’s comments prominence a unsteadiness of attempting to review James to any one actor from a NBA’s past. Johnson and Oscar Robertson are a closest analogues for LeBron given they were both learned playmakers and able scorers.

With that said, James has arguably surpassed Magic and The Big O in terms of altogether physique of work. Robertson began vanishing when he reached his 30s, while Johnson’s HIV diagnosis forced him to abruptly travel divided from a diversion during 32—he returned quickly in 1995-96 during age 36.

As partial of a site’s ranking of a biggest players ever, ESPN.com listed James third overall, behind Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and one place forward of Johnson.

And LeBron continues to refinement his bequest even after 14 years in a league. At 32, he stays a many gifted actor on a planet, and he only surpassed Jordan for many career playoff points:

James is coming his seventh true NBA Finals. Yet, in a eyes of some fans, zero LeBron can do will ever be adequate for him to pierce forward of Jordan.

But rather than constantly weighing a particular resumes of James and MJ, fans should conclude LeBron’s mass while he stays nearby a rise of his powers.